Recent advancements in the space launch market may indicate an increased need for logistics and supply chain management in outer space operations. Humankind’s ongoing curiosity about space has countries competing to prove they have not only the technology, but also the resources and collective knowledge to go beyond our imagination.

Accessing what’s beyond our globe has become an accepted source of socio-political promotion. It’s an indication of a society that can use advanced supply chain technology to achieve the best, and to find and harvest the undiscovered.

Going digital has become top of mind for most supply chain leaders these days. But finding success through digital transformation is still an elusive venture. According to recent research by the Korn Ferry Institute, all 100 senior supply chain executives the firm surveyed said digital supply chains have the potential to revolutionize businesses. Seventy-four percent admitted they still have a long way to go before that becomes reality. So, what’s standing in their way (and possibly yours as well)?

Lack of a clear digital supply chain strategy

Nearly half of respondents noted that while they have started on digitization, their strategy only considers the impact on the business, not how to implement digital in the supply chain. This could be due in part to lack of engagement at the executive and board level.

“The missing capability is understanding of supply chain at the board level. Supply chain is seen as cost down, whereas we should see it as a new revenue model generator. Everything comes back to the leadership challenge; why are we failing to get the right leadership at the top?” called out Janet Godsell, University of Warwick’s professor of operations and supply chain strategy at Warwick Manufacturing Group, in the report.

Avaya: A supply chain management case study

Trust in the transformation. That’s what high-tech giant Avaya had to do when the company decided to radically change up how it manages its supply chain. Going from a self-proclaimed worst-in-class supply chain to one of the best in the business was no easy feat, but the rewards were well worth the effort.

The coffee shop was buzzing.

I was meeting my longtime friend Gagan, and we managed to find a reasonably quiet corner to settle into for what I anticipated to be a long conversation. He and I went to school together and started our supply chain careers at nearly the same time. I joined a supply chain software company while Gagan joined a large global manufacturer and quickly grew through the ranks to be the vice president of supply chain IT in his company.

Throughout our careers, we continued to meet up whenever our travels crossed paths. Gagan is typically an upbeat and optimistic person, but on this day, something was clearly weighing him down. As it turned out, it was about his job, his sense of ownership, digital transformation and his company’s supply chain. Gagan was reporting to the CIO, and the board of directors recently mandated the company embark on a digital transformation journey. As part of the initiative, Gagan’s CEO brought in a new chief digital officer (CDO) as a peer to the CIO. And that’s when Gagan’s troubles started.

If you’re an executive, that translates into the ability to see a complete picture of the entire supply chain in an instant, with the most up-to-date data and changes reflected. Since you’ll be able to see risk or opportunity earlier, you’ll be able to make smarter business decisions faster, keeping your company on track to competition and financial success.

If you work in finance, improved S&OP means peace of mind that everyone puts what’s best for the business at the heart of every decision they make. Instead of working to individual or functional metrics, the entire organization aligns to key financial goals.

It takes more than technology to transform your supply chain.

Digitization is here. And it’s redefining supply chains. Disruptive technologies like advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are converging, bringing together the physical and digital worlds into new digital supply chain networks. These networks are taking supply chains from siloed and sequential to dynamic and interconnected. But true digital transformation isn’t just about the technology in supply chain management.

The Food Packaging Trends and Advances report from PMMI forecasts that the US Food and Beverage industry will experience a 2.9 % CAGR through 2022. The report also mentions that the global growth rate is almost double that of the US food industry. It’s a prediction that shouldn’t be ignored.

Food for thought: Time for a different kind of supply chain

Continued economic growth, customer preferences (especially those of the millennial generation), the rise of ecommerce and the Amazon channel, increased product choices and newer product categories in the marketplace are all driving the need for efficient and effective supply chain networks to support customer demand.

Among the many supply chain initiatives taking place today, vendor-managed inventory (VMI) has become an increasingly effective process and business model to help organizations share risk and information between vendors and customers — while benefitting from lower stockouts, reduced uncertainty and lower costs.

As with any industry, food and beverage faces its own unique set of supply chain challenges, including:

It all started a little more than two years ago with two supply chain management certification exams — Kinaxis® Certified RapidResponse® Author Level 1 and Kinaxis Certified RapidResponse Administrator Level 1.

We’ve also added three new credential levels to help partners and employees qualify for integration and solution consultant roles, which go beyond formal written exams to include training in soft skills and practical field experience.

Combined, these exams and achievements create a firm foundation upon which to build toward our ultimate, top-level credential, the Kinaxis Certified RapidResponse Master.